Madras Mantra Decatur
Indian restaurant · DeKalb County ·
All-vegetarian South Indian spot with popular lunch buffet
All-vegetarian South Indian spot with popular lunch buffet
"Hitting up the vegetarian Indian buffet at Madras Mantra is a brilliant lunchtime move. At just $14 per person, this efficient buffet line is a go-to for on-the-clock meals, while the quiet booths offer sanctuary for those days when your last shred of small talk died in yesterday's Zoom meeting. Slide in with a bowl of hearty tadka dal, savory beet poriyal, or thick eggplant potato curry, and tune out." - juli horsford, jacinta howard, nina reeder
"At $14 per person, Madras Mantra’s entirely vegetarian Indian buffet is the move when you want a tasty, filling meal that won’t have you frantically refreshing your banking app when the bill comes. The restaurant does South Indian food very well (the savory beet poriyal and thick eggplant potato curry in particular), and the buffet line moves quickly. So this Decatur restaurant works for on-the-clock lunches just as well as it does for days when you want to tuck yourself in a corner with a bowl of hearty tadka dal and tune out the world." - jacinta howard
"A longtime gathering spot for female chefs and close collaborators — it’s vegan, welcoming of small personal touches like bringing a thermos of chai, and conducive to long, relaxed conversations while supporting a small immigrant-owned business." - Henna Bakshi
"For more than a decade, Madras Mantra’s original Decatur location has been a go-to for vegetarians seeking big flavors and a smorgasbord of exciting options. Here, South Indian food shines in dishes like savory beet poriyal and thick eggplant potato curry. Dinner is a la carte, but if you stop by for the fast-moving lunch buffet, you can fill up on everything from crispy mushroom manchurian to a comforting dal for only $14. That’s also when this restaurant really fills up with solo diners, lunch break buddies, neighborhood regulars, and seniors meeting up for a meal." - juli horsford, jacinta howard, nina reeder
"Madras Mantra features many south Indian vegetarian dishes like spicy rasam soup, its popular lentil stew sambar, chili paneer, and dosa and uttapam variations. The menu also includes familiar north Indian entrees like dal palak — a spinach and lentil stew — choley masala — a stew of garbanzo beans — and south Indian regional fare such as the fiery hot gutti vankaya curry made with banana peppers and peanuts. Chutneys are available in takeout containers. Madras Mantra includes two locations in Decatur and Marietta. Vegan and gluten-free dishes are marked on the menu." - Eater Staff
